Statistics matter but money talks: The 26-year-old Bishop has a one-way contract that pays him $650,000 wherever he plays and Lehner has a two-way contract that pays him $67,500 in the AHL.

So Bishop will be Anderson’s No. 2 and Lehner will remain in Binghamton.

Then we’ll see whether the 21-year-old Lehner falls into a pout or stays determined to show the Senators that he deserves, one day, to be their No. 1 goalie.

So far, he has talked a good game and played an even better one, posting a 6-2-1 record with a .945 save percentage and a 1.77 goals-against average, good for fifth in the American Hockey League.

Pretty good on a team that, going into Thursday’s game against the Toronto Marlies, had scored as many goals as it had allowed: 34.

That has earned him high praise from Binghamton head coach Luke Richardson, who has had a ringside seat to Lehner’s ups-and-downs over the last two seasons, from the high of a Calder Cup win in 2010-11 to the low of a 13-22-1 record last season.

“This year, I think right from the start, he’s had a great attitude,” said Richardson.

“He’s said, ‘I don’t care if there is a lockout or not, I’m just going to be solid for the whole year, just going to be consistent,’ and he’s been that.

“And even with his good start, he recognizes that he has a long way to go to have that full, complete season to show everybody that he is a star.

“That’s a sign of maturity that he’s trying to stay with it.

“It’s not, ‘Oh, I got off to a great start,’ and then try to glide through the season.”

Lehner, always forthright and honest, admits that last season was a wake-up call. The positive is that he turned it into a motivation.

“During the summer, I recognized my mistakes last year,” he said

“So I worked hard last summer to be in better shape. I tried to learn and grow up a little bit and go forward.

“Yeah, people here were disappointed about last year, but it was a learning experience for a lot of guys, and for me, too.

“You have to go through seasons like that sometimes. A lot of stuff did not go my way. But I’ve tried to build off that.

“It’s all part of a process, and I’m just trying to be calm with it, and take it day by day.”

Lehner has also looked good by comparison with Bishop’s start, but Richardson says that’s misleading.

Bishop arrived here late, just at the start of the season, so he was already behind.

Then, just as he was going to get his first start, he came down with a strep throat. That set him back even more.

Then he unluckily happened to be in net when the Senators were in a scoring drought and playing some of their worst games.

His first start was a 4-0 loss to Manchester on Oct. 28, followed by a 4-2 loss to Norfolk on Nov. 3 that Richardson says should have been 6-0 after the first period.

By his third game, though, Bishop was back to normal, beating Adirondack 5-2 and keeping them off balance all night by handling the puck and firing it back up ice.

He was to make his fourth start Thursday night against the Toronto Marlies (Lehner will start against Syracuse on Friday).

“I feel really good,” said Bishop. “In fact, I feel great.”

“I’ve had some good practices and been doing some good conditioning with (goalie coach Rick Wamsley), so hopefully I’ll be a step up when the season does start.”

If Lehner has to bide his time behind Bishop, it won’t be for long. Bishop’s contract expires after this season and he’ll be a restricted free agent next summer.

That’ll give the Senators a chance to rejig their goaltending future, so whatever the two goalies do this season will be very important when report cards are handed out.

Richardson gave Lehner the message when training camp started and he has embraced it.

“When he got to camp, we said to him that we want you to be the guy, but you have to earn it,” said Richardson. “Sometimes being a highly touted young star, a prospect, sometimes you maybe take your foot off the pedal.

“I think it’s just not knowing that. He’s had some ups-and-downs over the first few years. Probably the best of the best was the Calder Cup final and winning the MVP.

“But then there have also been some times when it hasn’t gone well, and he probably wasn’t in the best shape at that time, and then he had some injury problems, and that takes away from your development. But he’s been great this season. He’s working hard every day and he’s been a leader, too.”

And if the lockout doesn’t end, Binghamton could end up with one of the better goaltending tandems in the AHL.

“They work well together, they push each other, and they have a good relationship, so it’s a nice luxury to have, especially when you have a team that’s younger and trying to find its way offensively,” said Richardson.

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